The present invention relates to a test scoring machine and especially to a test scoring machine interconnected with a printer, and cut sheet feeder for printing a test score directly on each test sheet as it passes through the computer printer.
In the past, a variety of test scoring or paper grading machines have been provided which use scoring sheet in which a student marks the answer on the scoring sheet while reading the test questions from a separate test booklet. The scoring sheet is typically marked with special pencils and may be graded in a variety of ways. The answer sheet can be read optically or magnetically to sense the individual markings for each column. In a typical case, the test sheet with the correct answers has been preprogrammed into the grading machine which can then read the presence or absence of a mark in the correct answer position and the final score totalized so that a printout of the scores of all the students can be obtained. Answer sheets typically have a column or other markings to assure that the correct row and columns are recognized upon the entry of each sheet.
Prior art grading or test scoring machines can be seen in a number of U.S. patents, including the Sokolski et al., U. S. Pat. No. 3,900,961, for test scoring apparatus which includes a control mark column containing a start of the test mark and a plurality of answer control marks and an end-of-page mark. Individual light sources illuminate each column for a photo sensor. Detection of each incorrect answer causes an arrow mark to be printed on the test sheet and detection of the end-of-page mark causes a score printout. In the Georges U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,863, an examination paper scoring assembly is provided. A multichoice type test score answer sheet can be placed in the machine and an optical readout made of the score. In the Erbert patent, an optical pattern recognition system is provided. In the Azure Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,628, an automatically programmed test grading and scoring method and system is provided by using a correct answer information program card which then compares each student card with the correct answer information for grading the student's card. The Flaherty et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,132, is a test scoring machine which has lamps on one side shining through a paper which has been marked, such as by punching holes in the paper for reading by an optical reader for grading papers. The Britton U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,952 is an automatic mark reading machine for grading test answer sheets. The Azure Jr. et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,561, is a test grading marking method and apparatus which marks each incorrect answer adjacent the answer on the test card. The Elia U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,263, is an examination grading computer which shines a series of light sources aligned with columns and the test papers being fed through the machine for reading by optical readers.
In addition to these prior patents, one recent grading system provides the software for a conventional microcomputer which is connected to a conventional computer printer and to an off-the-shelf optical scanner. An interface to the computer and software is provided so that the test can be fed to an optical scanner, read by the computer, test scores calculated and a printout made on the printer.
In contrast to these prior art devices, the present invention uses a standard computer printer, such as a standard dot matrix printer having a commercial cut sheet feeder attached thereto. An optical reader is attached to the printer adjacent the cut sheet feeder to optically read each test answer sheet as it is fed by the cut sheet feeder into the printer. A computer interface attached to the printer then reads the optical signals, calculates the test score and prints it on each paper as the paper passes through the printer. Initially, a master document having the correct answers thereon is fed through the printer and its graphic contents converted to digital form by the grading machine so that pattern recognition of each successive test going through can be compared to the pattern on the master document having the correct answer set, then the total number of answers can be calculated for use in printing a numeric grade.